Intelligent Mounts

[emoplato]

I was looking through the all about mounts article on wizards.com and it said am intelligent mount is treated as a NPC. In what respect do they mean this? Surely they don't mean to where the DM controls it.

 

[Sorry_Charry]

I haven't read the article in question, but the DMG says that intelligent mounts are more like NPCs than traditional mounts in that they must be negotiated with (Diplomacy rather than Handle Animal, in other words).

(pg 205, Intelligent Mounts)

 

[Sekhmet]

DM controls their rolls against Diplomacy, Intimidate, Bluff, etc.
DM decides it's personality. A curious mount will spot/search all the time. and (if it is able to converse with it's companion/"owner") will often be unreliable when asking it if it notices anything unusual/interesting (IE: if it has special vision qualities, it might notice the pretty flower before it notices the invisible ogre magi.)
A mount that is fiercely protective would do everything in it's power to protect whatever it was trying to protect (usually it's companion/"owner"), even going so far as to disobey orders given to it.

The DM controls it, in so much that any interaction with the mount is pending the DM's approval, but otherwise, treat it as a normal mount. It will generally follow directions and help the companion/"owner" where it can, as intelligent mounts must be bonded/befriended/otherwise coerced into helping, and therefor have reasons to be generally helpful.

 

[Jacob]

The DM controls it, in so much that any interaction with the mount is pending the DM's approval, but otherwise, treat it as a normal mount. It will generally follow directions and help the companion/"owner" where it can, as intelligent mounts must be bonded/befriended/otherwise coerced into helping, and therefor have reasons to be generally helpful.

What he said. Sadly, I sort of treat the Cohort like this as well, giving control to the PC more than my own device. Keep a watchful eye though, that I do.